PURC maintains utility tariffs

The Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced that
electricity and water tariffs will remain the same till next year.

The Commission said though there has been a significant decline in
the price of crude oil and the exchange rate has remained largely
stable, the Commission did not reduce the tariffs because of the surge
in the “prices of natural gas from the West African Gas Pipeline.”

President John Mahama earlier urged the reconstituted board of the PURC to
 fix reasonable electricity tariffs for business and residential
consumers, saying that this would will ensure more private sector
participation.

“We are entering an era where we are seeing more private sector,
interest and participation in the Energy and Power sector and the only
way that the private sector will invest their money in energy and power
generation is if they feel that the plain field is conducive, that it is
 level and reasonable and it guarantees them a fair return on the
investment that they make and it is the PURC that can create that kind
of environment for them,” the president said.